Stray Phoenix Tears
by swoonforsirius
Summary: A stray phoenix tear that landed on Riddle's diary in the Chamber of Secrets has created a new Tom Riddle, before he became Voldemort and after he'd only made one horcrux. Hermione knows he is deadly, seductive and manipulative but she has been tasked with destroying him. Can she find it in her to become a killer? Can she find it in her to resist the temptation of Tom?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_Dear Hermione,_

_If you have received this letter then we have won the war against Voldemort, and Severus and I are dead. Well done, for I have no doubt that you assisted Harry on his quest. But I am sorry to say that I must ask one more thing from you._

_Voldemort may be dead, but Tom Riddle is not._

_When Harry stabbed Riddle's diary in your second year the piece of soul trapped inside began to die, but before it could a stray phoenix tear from Fawkes touched it and restored it. The soul's connection to Voldemort had already died and so it healed into a whole soul: the soul of a sixteen year old Tom Riddle._

_Hermione, I know he has not yet committed most of the atrocities that Voldemort had but he is capable of them if his followers shall ever restore his soul to a body. Therefore, I must ask you to destroy him before this can happen. To do this you must create a body to house the soul- the potion method for this is hidden behind the tapestry of the phoenix on the fifth floor. To enter, just recite what the Sorting Hat spoke to you in your first year._

_He must be stopped, Hermione, and with both Severus and I gone the only one who has the ability to complete this potion is you. The soul is trapped in the Chamber of Secrets but once you restore his body the spell will not hold him._

_Be safe, Hermione, and do not tell anyone of your venture, not even Harry. Voldemort's death will have ensured that the Death Eaters that roam free are fixated upon Harry and they cannot find out about this._

_Good luck,_

_Albus_

Hermione struggled to draw in a breath as the letter fell from her grasp and floated to the floor. Tom Riddle was still alive, more or less.

She could have taken a moment to think about this, but Hermione was used to being in the thick of things now. The war had taught her that it was better to get things over and done with instead of putting them off. She wouldn't be able to leave for Hogwarts until Ron was home though, she would have to tell him that she was leaving for a little while.

She packed for a couple of weeks; most potions took under three months to brew except those most complex. And while she was sure this would be complex- the destruction of Tom Riddle- a potion to conjure a body shouldn't be too difficult to complete.

After sending a hurried note to McGonagall, Hermione sat down at the dining room table as she waited for Ron, drumming her fingers on the table as a mark of her impatience.

He finally stumbled through the door with a smile on his face and sat down opposite her, noticing her bags.

"You've got a new task at work then?" He asked with a smile.

Hermione was a researcher for the Ministry and she often took business trips to private libraries for her research. "Yes. This time I'm at Hogwarts, so it's not too far." She didn't like lying to him, but she had no choice and it was only a small lie. It was a new task after all, just not a Ministry assigned one.

"How long will you be gone?" Ron waved his wand at the kettle in the kitchen to set it off boiling while they talked.

"It's hard to say really. A few weeks, a couple of months, could be either." She didn't often leave for more than two weeks but Ron took it in his stride, nodding in agreement. She was glad he wasn't being difficult, he was very possessive and sometimes displayed jealousy when her assignments took precedence over him.

"Ron, I've got to go. I'll miss you." He stood up to kiss her goodbye and walked her to the door.

"I'll come and visit you at the weekend?"

"I'll get this assignment finished faster if you don't." Hermione hated pushing him away but she didn't want him to guess what she was up to when he arrived at Hogwarts. With a final look back at Ron, she apparated to the gates of Hogwarts.

Minerva was waiting for her at the gates.

"Let me guess, you got a message from Albus?" Minerva's lips were tightly pursed and Hermione knew she hated secrecy. Hermione nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, a few people have received final orders. He seems to have prepared for the end of the war before he had even died." It was a relief to know she wasn't alone although she doubted few tasks would be as distasteful. Destroy Tom Riddle indeed, Hermione would have to become a killer for that.

"I'll show you to your room. I was told something on the second floor would suit your needs." Minerva led Hermione into the castle. Hermione had assumed she would be in the dungeons to brew the potion but it would appear Albus wanted her to do it in the Chamber of Secrets, why else would he place her so close to its entrance.

Her room was spacious, with a massive four poster bed decorated in creams and light blues. She blinked in surprise, often her accommodations were basic and sparse but she wasn't going to complain about this. It even had an attached bathroom with a giant tub.

Hermione dropped onto the bed still fully clothes. Suddenly she was exhausted and she knew she shouldn't begin her potion like this. It could wait until tomorrow, when she was finally rested.

She fell quickly into a deep slumber and didn't wake until late the next morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

She had retrieved the potion from the fifth floor, used the spell Dumbledore had given her to circumnavigate the parseltongue wards and made her way through the Chamber of Secrets to the final door. Now she was frozen with fear, her hand outstretched but unable to connect to the door. Her hand was shaking uncontrollably. _Come on Hermione, you can do this!_

Steeling all the resolve she could muster, Hermione's quivering hands pushed open the final door before she stepped inside. The Chamber was how she remembered it from a year and a half ago- when she and Ron had destroyed a horcrux here. The Basilisk skeleton (decayed rapidly by magic) was still sprawled across the floor and the giant statue of Salazar Slytherin still had eyes that seemed to condemn her for her muggle blood.

There were very few moments in her life when Hermione's blood status bothered her. When Draco had first called her a 'mudblood' she had cried herself to sleep. When Bellatrix had carved 'mudblood' into her arm, Hermione had only just managed to hold it together. But this statue seemed to affect her more, every second she made contact with those eyes seemed to chip away at her armour. She broke the 'eye' contact to look around for Riddle.

"Come out, come out wherever you are." She muttered to herself as her eyes roved the chamber.

"Boo!" A cold, sinister whisper breathed in her ear.

Hermione jumped and spun around rapidly. Tom Riddle stood towering over her, an arrogant smirk on his face. Hermione had heard that he was the most handsome boy Ginny had ever seen, and now she knew it was true. His dark hair fell casually over one bright blue eye and the other stared at Hermione with a frightening intensity. He wore his Hogwarts robes with the sleeves rolled up to reveal defined biceps and his sharp chiselled features emphasised the cruelty Hermione knew he had hidden. He seemed older than sixteen though, a full grown wizard at least.

Hermione fixed an I-won't-take-your-bullshit smile on her face as she met his gaze without flinching. "You must be Tom Riddle." She stopped herself before she said something insulting. She would have to kill him after all, and she was willing to bet that it would be harder to accomplish if he was angry at her.

"Oh, I must, must I?" His voice was a deadly, dangerous hiss. "And who are you? And where is that fool Dumbledore? I was under the impression he was the only one who knew where to find me."

Hermione hesitated. Should she tell him Dumbledore was dead or would that leave her in a more vulnerable position? If he was scared of Dumbledore (as some claimed) then she may gain more security by keeping him in the dark. She settled for a partial truth.

"I'm in charge of your _care_ now. You can call me Hermione." She hoped she sounded confident and, yes, she'd aimed to rile him slightly. _Keep him on his toes, make him think you're not to be walked over_, she thought to herself.

His eyebrows shot together. "Well, I can't deny the view is significantly better but what do you think you can do to me that he couldn't?" He began to laugh, not in a high-pitch tone as she had been told he used, but a deep, dark chuckle that was somehow even more sinister.

Hermione didn't answer him. Instead she strode across the chamber until she was situated between Slytherin's feet. Reaching into her robes, she took out a miniature stone cauldron before returning it to its proper size with an engorgement charm. Full sized, it stood almost as tall as Hermione.

"What are you doing? _TELL ME THE TRUTH?" _Riddle screamed at her, appearing next to her and peering into the cauldrons depths. "What are you brewing?"

"Does it really matter, considering you can't stop me from brewing it?" Hermione's voice was overly sweet. He couldn't interfere, couldn't stop her until he was corporeal, and by that time it would be too late.

He roared in frustration and tried to grab her arm. His hand slid right through her and she laughed aloud before she could stop herself. After how powerless Voldemort had made her feel for years, it was nice to be the one in control for once.

The look in his eyes stopped her laughter instantly. She had to remember this was the Dark Lord she was baiting- and a hormonal version to boot. The look he gave her was ice cold and his astral form stood not an inch from her. He reached out an index finger and ghosted it over her neck in a gesture of warning, the icy feeling of his insubstantial form intensifying her fear even though his touch wasn't real.

"Be careful who you piss off. One day I'll break through the enchantment binding me here and then, when I have regained my power, I'll take my time killing you." His voice had returned to the deadly whisper he had first used with her and she stumbled back from him. He laughed again.

With shaking hands, Hermione pulled out her wand and lit a fire under the cauldron before filling it with water. She took out the first ingredient and dropped it into the cauldron: two black dragon scales.

Riddle was watching intently, he seemed to have realised he could do nothing to stop her and was now determined to identify the potion. He wouldn't, Hermione knew, as it was one of Dumbledore's own inventions. It was as she was waiting for the potion to bubble that Hermione realised that Riddle's talents lay in more than dark magic.

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione." His voice had taken on a mesmerising silkiness. "If I can't affect the potion then why bother to hide its purpose from me?"

That voice… It made Hermione's blood run hotter and her heart beat faster. Coupled with the intense stare from those blue eyes that wasn't in the least threatening this time had her melting towards him… Why was she hiding his fate from him again? He was right wasn't he, it wouldn't make a difference?

A hiss from the cauldron brought back Hermione's senses back and she angrily turned from him and back to the cauldron. She just had to add one more ingredient today before she could leave.

The cauldron began bubbling away and Hermione brought out three sphinx tail hairs and added them to the cauldron. With a counter-clockwise stir, Hermione turned and walked out of the Chamber of Secrets, grateful that Riddle didn't call out to her again as she knew she would have stopped.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"So tell me, Miss Granger," Tom purred into her ear on the eighth day of her visit to the chamber. "Do you know how powerful I am? Whatever you're planning won't work. But I will enjoy stopping you."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "I know exactly how powerful you are, Lord Voldemo-"

"Don't call me by that name!" Tom's scream caught her off guard and he was looming over her threateningly again before she could blink. She instantly forgot that he couldn't touch her and cowered beneath him.

"Voldemort was an idiot. He made mistake after mistake and just kept hacking away at his power by making horcruxes. I won't make that mistake." His voice was cool and deadly and it made Hermione more scared than when he'd shouted. She backed up until she was pressed against the cold stone cauldron.

His eyes slowly focussed on her and he calmed down. He stepped back and coughed. If she didn't know better, Hermione would have said he looked ashamed, but that couldn't be it.

She licked her lips nervously. "So I should call you Tom?"

His eyes darkened in anger but he didn't say anything, didn't move towards her. She could see him thinking. Eventually he nodded. "I guess so…"

Gulping in relief, Hermione turned back to the cauldron and added ground unicorn horn to it. The contents turned a shimmering silver. Tom came and peered curiously inside.

"Is this your creation?" His pale blue eyes narrowed on her, pinning her with an intense gaze.

"No, it's Dumbledore's. I'm just taxed with making it."

His question resonated within her. Is that what she should do with her career? Create spells or potions. It wasn't a popular field but Hermione had always thought there were holes which no spells could fill. She could fill those holes given the chance. It would be more interesting than the constant research she did now.

"Do you know the Weasley family?" His question startled her. She immediately thought of Ron, for the first time in what seemed like days.

"Yes."

"Do you know the girl, Ginny?"

Hermione had forgotten that Ginny had been the first one to meet Tom. That Tom had tried to steal her soul.

"Yes. She was the only friend you've ever had, wasn't she?" She expected him to lash out in anger at her question, but he just threw her a dark look.

"I have no need for friends." His voice was harsh and biting. Hermione almost chuckled; he was learning to control his temper just as fast as she was learning to read his face: too fast.

"Everyone needs friends." Hermione said defiantly.

"Tell me about your friends then?" Tom's response was quick but she couldn't figure out why he wanted to know. Tom Riddle wasn't supposed to care about things like this. Was he playing her, trying to make her feel like he cared so she'd care in return?

"You wouldn't want to hear about them. One of them is the one who defeated you and the other is Ginny's brother." Hermione threw that out with a raised eyebrow. _Try playing me with that tormenting you, _she thought wickedly.

Tom's lip curled into a sneer worthy of Draco Malfoy. His eyes flashed but he didn't say a word. Hermione raised an eyebrow, surprised he'd kept his temper in check. Baiting him was turning out to be rather fun.

Turning back to the cauldron, Hermione lit a cold fire under it and stirred it counter clockwise. Tom didn't speak to her for the rest of the day

On the twelfth day of the brewing, Tom started commenting on the uses of certain potion ingredients. Many of them Hermione knew, but there were one or two that surprised her. She didn't know why he was sharing this knowledge with her but she knew it was something Voldemort would never have done.

"Whole salamander scales have nowhere near the potency of shredded scales." His latest comment made her smile.

"What?" He demanded, peering at her face intently.

"I didn't know that last one." She admitted as she tipped a handful of the shredded scales into the cauldron.

He shrugged his shoulders in a casual manner and threw her a roguish grin. "I experimented with them in my fourth year."

Suddenly the cauldron emitted a puff of steam that engulfed them both and made Hermione cough. When the steam cleared Hermione squinted at Tom. He seemed more colourful, more solid. She blanched white as she realised what this meant.

He took an unsteady step towards her and wobbled, steadying himself of the cauldron. They both looked down as his hand clasped the solid stone surface instead of sliding through it. An evil grin lit his face.

He stalked towards her, backing her into the cold wall of the chamber. His towering height made her feel small, vulnerable and she cursed herself for not instantly whipping out her wand and stunning him. She wasn't prepared for this, not yet.

Slowly he lowered his face to hers and she shook at the uncertainty of what he would do next. Snap her neck? Her hand inched towards her wand.

"Nope," his hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping the movement. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears and she closed her eyes as if not seeing him would make it so that he wasn't really there.

When his lips met hers, she jumped in shock. She hadn't even briefly considered this action. Firmly, his lips inched hers open and his tongue slid inside, caressing hers intimately. She gave a soft moan as she responded, all thoughts other than the feel of this kiss fleeing her mind. She wanted to reach out and touch him but she wasn't sure if he'd allow the contact and he still had one of her wrists pinned. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on her lip and pulled away stunned. She licked her lip and tasted blood. She looked up at Tom in horror.

"You bit me." Even as she spoke she noticed his that he seemed less substantial and paler. His hand around her wrist faded from her touch as he became incorporeal once more.

He gave a dark chuckle, his eyes focussed on the lip he had abused. "Yes. Yes, I did."

The steam had faded from the room and she knew it had brought a glimpse of what was to come, and she knew he had realised it as well.

"You're going to make me corporeal again." His voice was jubilant, his expression darker than Hermione had ever seen it.

"Yes." She gasped out.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Hermione peered at her ugly, swollen lip in the mirror of her room. The smug bastard had bitten her. What was worrying her was that she didn't know why but she knew it would have been for a purpose- everything he did had a purpose.

She couldn't believe she had kissed him back, however briefly, but she had been taken unawares. She felt a little bit guilty but knew there would be no way she would ever mention it to Ron. Knowing her luck, Ron would probably do something stupid like come down to have a 'chat' with Tom- which would end up in Ron being murdered or maybe just tortured. Hermione rolled her eyes. Men could be so stupid when it came to being macho.

She pulled off her shirt and turned towards the bed. As her hand reached under the pillow to pull out her night t-shirt, something moved in the corner of her eye. She screamed and whirled around. Tom Riddle stood in the corner of her room with an eyebrow raised and a satisfied smirk on his lips. Throwing her arms across her naked chest she backed away from him.

"Don't worry, Granger, I'm not checking you out." Tom said, making an exaggerated show of turning his back so she could pull on her t-shirt.

"How are you here?" Hermione licked her lower lip nervously and then winced as it stung. Tom, turning round, saw the wince and stared at her lip in fascination.

"One little drop," he said, almost in awe. "That was all it took- one little drop of your blood. I didn't know if it would work but the Old Fools magic is fading. Now that I can leave the chamber I can grow stronger."

Blood magic, she should've guessed. Though it seemed that Tom Riddle liked to underestimate her, he didn't seem to realise that she knew a little about blood magic.

"Until you're corporeal, you can only go where I go." She reminded him, a smug smile settling on her own face. His face twitched in annoyance.

"So if I was to move into the chamber, you would've tied yourself to me for nothing." She taunted him.

He growled in frustration. "You can't stand it down there."

Hermione watched as he paced the room in agitation, but didn't answer him. She was exhausted but she couldn't climb into bed with him there- and she was still wearing jeans. She picked up her pyjama shorts and fidgeted nervously. Tom didn't notice. She cleared her throat.

"What?" He demanded, turning on her angrily.

"I want to change." She gestured to her pants in her hand.

"Go on then." His eyebrow raised as it so often did, challenging her.

She would have met his challenge but she couldn't for the life of her remember what underwear she was wearing. _You know doing something like this would upset Ron, _her subconscious reminded her. But Ron didn't know how challenging dealing with Tom was, she reasoned, how much he infuriated her. She had to show Tom that she wasn't scared of him, that she wouldn't let him walk all over her.

Deciding to meet his challenge, she swallowed and ignored her pounding heartbeat. Her hands inched down to her button and popped it free. She had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes widen like saucers. Growing bolder, she pulled down her zipper. Okay, her underwear was green, she was just glad it wasn't black and lacy.

She couldn't meet his gaze then as she quickly dragged her jeans down her legs and fumbled with the pyjama bottoms. Finally decent, she dragged her eyes up to meet his. His eyes were bright and she knew it was with anger for daring to challenge him. His eyes were always angry and she wondered if he knew any other emotions.

She tried to feign nonchalance as she headed for her bed. "If you feel the need to spend the night, please do so on the floor. I'd offer you a blanket but it would be of no use to you."

He gave a dark chuckle at her words. "So the little kitten thinks she has claws, does she? I'll rip them from you soon enough."

He flexed his hand as if he was choking her but made no movement from the corner. She dimmed the lights but the blue of his eyes flashed brighter than ever. She tucked herself under the quilt but she couldn't sleep with him in the room, no matter how tired she was.

"Do you even need to sleep, Tom?" Hermione asked curiously.

He sighed loudly. "Of sorts, not that it is any concern of yours."

She was astounded that he had answered truthfully. He often answered her with riddles or questions though she doubted that he outright lied to her- that was not his style. He liked to convolute the truth, yes, but she had noticed he rarely lied.

Silence fell over the room and Hermione had just started to drift off when Tom's voice jolted her back to awareness.

"Granger, tell me how Voldemort died." His voice was silky as it was whenever he asked her for what he considered important information. She considered what to tell him.

"He made too many horcruxes and we destroyed them all. Not even the most powerful wand could save him then." Hermione spoke softly. She knew that he had always feared death, a left over phobia from the death of his mother. She understood it- but that did not mean that she understood his actions towards immortality. She could never understand someone who sought to preserve life by killing.

He didn't answer her. In fact, Hermione couldn't even see the flash of his eyes anymore. But she knew he was still there, she could sense his presence. She almost thought she could sense his anger, but she must be imagining that- they hadn't shared enough blood for a bond that deep. She hoped.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Going to try something a little different from what I've done so far and give you a chapter from Tom's point of view. Hope you like it!**

Chapter 5

Tom's lips were still curved in annoyance from her words when Hermione fell asleep. He knew Voldemort had been an idiot- as a horcrux, he had been the majority of Voldemort's common sense- but to hear it said was frustrating. Tom wouldn't make that mistake. When he became corporeal he wouldn't mess around with horcruxes, he planned to explore the use of phoenix tears. Of course, getting hold of such a rare bird may prove to be difficult…

Hermione let out a sigh in her sleep, drawing his gaze back to her. She was bewitching, that much he couldn't deny. When he'd kissed her with the intention of distracting her, he had distracted himself as well. Then, when he had seen her bare breasts as he had entered the room, followed by dark green knickers that he couldn't look away from… Well, it had entranced him more than he'd like to admit.

And those lips that now showed evidence of his assault haunted him. It had been convenience- the only place more powerful to take blood from was a still beating heart- but the convenience had led to an enjoyment that he hadn't expected. He growled in frustration.

Tom stalked across the room and walked through the door that led to the adjoining bathroom. Now that he was free from the chamber, he could try his hand at telekinesis. He turned his attention to the marble shower and imagined twisting the knob. Instantly hot water began to spray and he curled his lips in satisfaction. While he couldn't touch things in this form, he could still feel them as they passed through him.

He used his new power to remove his clothes before he stepped through the glass partition and into the shower. Tom let out a grand sigh of relief as the water fell through him but left a sense of cleanliness that he hadn't felt since becoming an incorporeal soul. He raked his hands through his hair and delighted in the wet feel of it. Such a simple pleasure, yet he could think of nothing better in this moment.

Tom closed his eyes as the water seemed to pound away the ache in his back even though it didn't touch him. Maybe it was a sign that he was growing stronger. He knew that Dumbledore was dead; he head read it in Hermione's mind when he had kissed her, and he was surprised that his care had been given to such a young witch. After all, she would be easy to defeat the day he became corporeal, even without a wand.

Tom's eyes flew open as he heard the sound of the door. He met the wide eyes of Hermione and watched her mouth drop open in surprise. He chuckled darkly, raised an eyebrow and continued to enjoy the fall of hot water. She seemed frozen in place even as her eyes slid down his body, just as any other woman's would have done.

"Want to join me, Granger?" He teased her, enjoying the way a flush spread over her face, neck and ears. Her mouth opened and closed but no sound came out. His chuckle evolved into a fully-fledged laugh as she turned and fled the room.

Slowly, he removed himself from the shower, without bothering to expend energy turning it off, and dressed. Then he walked through the door to find Hermione pacing nervously.

"Oh, thank God." She sighed before dashing into the bathroom and closing the door. Tom couldn't resist another chuckle as he settled his form on her bed with his back almost resting on the headboard. He was finding it very amusing to tease her and knew that being on her bed would madden her.

True to his prediction, when Hermione returned from the bathroom her eyebrows drew together in annoyance as she took in his position. Without a word, but with a black look, she settled herself back in the bed on her side and turned her back to him.

Their position made Tom ponder the last time he'd been in bed with a female, though to be honest he had never stayed past the sex. Tom was not a fan of cuddling. He had been a fan of sex, though he had discovered that after he had been made a horcrux, Voldemort had stopped dabbling in the sensual art. This must mean that Tom was a representation of Voldemort's lighter and more sexual side- though that did not mean that he wasn't as evil or powerful as the idiot.

"Ah, Granger, if I was corporeal I'd show you how a couple should really occupy a bed." His tone was light and teasing, though he allowed himself to consider bedding her for a moment or two. He heard her surprised intake of breath though she didn't deign to reply.

"For a start, there wouldn't be anywhere close to this much distance between us." Tom continued in a musing tone, his lips curling up into a smirk. "And for another, there would be no way you'd be lying this still. I'd have you writhing all over the bed."

She snapped then, shooting into a sitting position with a growl. "Shut up Tom, or I WILL move into the chamber. Oh, if I could kick you out of bed…"

"Then I'd grab that little foot and nibble on it. Then I'd nibble up your calf to your thigh and then higher-"

Hermione let out a shriek of annoyance, her eyes flashing dangerously, and Tom let out a bark of laughter. Maybe he should return to the chamber- or at least appear to- so that she could think on what he had said. Yes, leave his words playing in her mind and slowly drive her insane with lustful thoughts of her enemy.

He stood up and wandered over to the door. Turning back to her, he let out his most devilishly charming smile before tipping his head to her and walking out the door. He waited until he was sure she was asleep before slipping back into the room and onto the bed. It had been a ridiculously long time since he'd had the comfort of the bed and he wouldn't give it up now that he had the chance to sleep on one. He settled himself down to doze into the memories that were the closest he could reach to dreams.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A loud knock on her door roused Hermione from a delightful sleep. She grumbled in annoyance even as she through back the covers and slouched to the door. She opened it to find Ron grinning at her, dressed in black robes. She managed a smile as she stood back to let him in. She shut the door, then turned to face him and froze as she caught sight of Tom Riddle in her bed.

A small shriek escaped her lips. Ron turned to look at where she was staring and then back at her in puzzlement. He couldn't see Tom, she realised gratefully. But when he sat on the bed, where Tom's feet were, she couldn't help a quiet chuckle. Realising that Ron now must think she was an idiot she sighed and sat beside him.

"You know I'm not a morning person." She tried weakly, nudging him with her shoulder. Her eyes flicked to the still sleeping Tom anxiously.

"That's true," Ron admitted. "Do you want to go to Hogsmeade today? I'm sure you can take a day off."

Hermione was torn. She had missed spending time with Ron but she was reluctant to leave the castle. She glanced again at Tom and her eyes widened when she saw he was awake and staring at her with dark eyes.

"Granger, are you ditching me to spend the day with this boy?" Tom asked with a sneer. He cast a dismissive look at Ron before raising his eyebrows at her.

Ignoring Tom, Hermione placed a smile on her face. "I'd love to go. I'll just get dressed."

Ron nodded and leaned back to rest his head on the headboard. He was lying right next to Tom and it took all of Hermione's will power not to let out a nervous giggle. If Tom corporealised, even for a moment, Hermione knew Ron would be lucky to survive.

Hermione pulled out fresh underwear and clothes from her drawers before she realised her other problem. She lived with Ron and dressed in front of him all the time, so if she made an excuse to leave to change, Ron would be suspicious. She fiddled nervously with her clothes, trying to decide what to do.

"I have to shower." She blurted out before hurrying into the bathroom and locking the door. She turned on the shower and stepped in, letting out a large sigh of relief. This morning would be stressful, she knew that without a doubt. The warm water did its best to ease her tension, but when she opened her eyes and reached for the shampoo another squeak escaped her lips.

Tom stood before her, still dressed in his school robes and water raining through him. His eyes glinted darkly and his face was fixed in a smug expression. His eyes slid down her naked body as hers had done yesterday when she'd caught him in the shower. She moved her hands to cover herself and his lips tightened in annoyance. "So this is your man?"

Hermione nodded. She didn't want to risk Ron hearing anything she said through the walls. She was already developing a headache and the day had barely started. She groaned in frustration.

"He's a pureblood. I can smell it on him." Tom stated lightly. "He'll have you married and staying at home with the kids in no time. It's what they all want."

Hermione pursed her lips in annoyance. That wasn't what Ron wanted, but it was what she knew Molly wanted. Molly had made it a point to explain to Hermione that a housewife was expected in magical marriages on more than one occasion. The entire Weasley clan was waiting for them to announce when they would be getting married, so Hermione had made it a point to refuse to do so. She and Ron considered themselves engaged but they hadn't revealed it to anyone. She didn't even wear an engagement ring.

"Ron is not like that." She whispered angrily, walking through him to get out of the shower. She angrily pulled on her knickers and bra before whirling to face him. "Ron understands that I'm not like that."

Tom chuckled. "Typical mudblood. You think you can change them but the purebloods are set in their ways. They will never change. Did you know there has never been a mudblood prime minister?"

Hermione's face twitched in annoyance. She ignored Tom as she finished dressing and stormed back to Ron. She struggled to keep her annoyance off her face and out of her tone. "I'm ready to go, Darling."

"I had a wonderful day." Hermione lied as they entered her chamber later that day. In truth, it had been awful. Tom had followed them the entire day, eager to explore anywhere that was not the Chamber of Secrets. He had commented on everything and Hermione had found it terribly difficult to pretend he wasn't there. She even answered him once or twice and had to lie to Ron to cover herself.

"Me too, 'Mione." He bent down to kiss her. Ignoring the pain in her lip and Tom's disgusted snort, Hermione responded and wrapped her arms around Ron's neck. When she pulled away, they were both breathing heavily.

"I don't have to leave just yet." Ron said with a smile. "We could…"

Hermione struggled to keep the panic out of her eyes. There was no way she was going to have sex with Tom watching but she had to make sure she didn't upset Ron.

"How about it, _'Mione?_" Tom taunted from behind her. "If you were on top, I think all three of us would enjoy ourselves. I know I'd enjoy the show."

"No." She answered too loudly. At Ron's hurt expression she added "I'd love to but I've done no work all day and I really have to. I'm sorry baby, but I'll be home soon to make it up to you."

Ron nodded and gave her a final kiss before he left. She watched him leave with an odd expression that she couldn't determine. Then she turned to face Tom.

Once again, he was lounging on her bed with an unfathomable look on his face. He was staring at the wall behind her as if in deep thought. She couldn't stop herself from sitting on her side of the bed and turning towards him.

"What are you thinking about, Riddle?"

His lips curled in derision. "None of your damn business Granger. Now are you going to give me another strip show or should I just fall asleep now?"

Her mouth dropped open. He hadn't been this snappy with her all day- a record she was sure. His mood changed faster than British weather and she just couldn't keep up. Sometime she had trouble remembering that he was her enemy, but times like this made her remember. Other times he seemed just like anybody else. The line was becoming blurred and that worried Hermione more than she could admit.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Four days after the Hogsmead trip Tom was still in a black mood. He didn't know why he felt so angry, so murderous but that didn't matter, he would punish Granger for making him feel this way. If only he could think of how to do it. He wished he was corporeal for then he could choke the life out of her slowly. He wouldn't kill her, no, but he would hurt her.

He paced the Chamber of Secrets restlessly. _She _was there, in the corner, working on the potion but he wouldn't go near her. It was more than he could stand to be within striking distance and yet be unable to attack.

"Tom?" Her voice called to him from across the Chamber, echoing all around him. Was she so unaware of his anger that she would engage him? Still, he was curious.

"Granger."

"When I was a little girl, I used to dream that magic was real. I would mix together all my different types of juices and pretend I was making a potion." Her voice was distant, as if she was reliving the memory.

"So?" Tom scoffed. He did not care about her childhood; he did not care about her at all.

"So, what did you dream of as a child?" She asked, never looking up from her cauldron.

"Why should I tell you?" He snapped viciously. She had no right to ask such things of him. She was nothing! A witch of mediocre talent at best!

"I was just curious." Granger's shoulders shrugged in a graceful manner. She looked up from the cauldron and met his eyes. He almost flinched at the open honesty in her big brown eyes. He growled in annoyance.

"I dreamed of escape." He spat at her. "I dreamed of leaving that place forever. And once, just once, I dreamed that I wasn't special- that I didn't keep making things explode."

He stopped, astounded that he'd admitted so much. But it was true. Before he'd learned to control his magic, the other orphans had beaten him every time they'd witnessed an outburst. They'd held him down and kicked him, knowing that he would somehow heal the bruises before they could form. The workers there had turned a blind eye though they knew what was going on. But he didn't like to think of his time there. He shook his head to dispel the images in his mind.

"Well, magic does exist and you did leave that place forever. I guess both of our dreams came true." Her voice was more hesitant this time and he cursed in his mind because he knew she was digesting what he had admitted.

His mind shot into overdrive, trying to think of a way to distract her. He didn't like that he knew that much about him, it made him feel almost vulnerable. He tried to think back, to before he was a horcrux. How had he distracted the girls who sought to get to know him back then?

Well, usually he shagged them but obviously without a body that would be hard to accomplish. He needed to stall for time while he thought.

"What do you dream of now?" He made his voice a soft caress and stalked closer to her. She shivered at his words and he grinned. Maybe he had found a way to distract her after all.

She swallowed before composing herself and shrugging at him. "The usual things: happiness, success, friends."

He chuckled. She hadn't mentioned her partner and he wouldn't remind her of him. Tom did not share and, as he had tied himself to her, he considered her his… for now at least.

"You were my dream, last night at least. I dreamed you were on your hands and knees before me-" Tom started and was cut off by Granger's shriek of outrage. Her face was bright red and there was fury in her eyes. He chuckled to himself. She was thoroughly distracted now.

"I'll make you a deal, Granger." He smiled slowly as her rage was replaced by curiosity. "Corporealize me, shag me and then I'll let you kill me."

She shrieked louder than before and he doubled over laughing. The chamber echoed with his laughter for minutes as he fought and failed to stop. Her face was priceless, a blend of astonishment, disbelief and anger. He thought he saw a flash of humour in her eyes but it faded as she composed herself. He straightened and raised his eyebrows at her.

"How about it, Granger? Don't tell me you haven't been thinking about our kiss or picturing what you saw in the shower."

She blushed again and Tom couldn't stop lust spearing through him. He had also seen her in the shower and he'd liked what he'd seen. Long lean legs, gently flaring hips and breasts large enough to fill his hands, she was very beautiful indeed. He wanted her; he wanted to enjoy her body- that much he couldn't deny. But of course he'd been lying when he said he would allow her to kill him. Once he was corporeal, he would regain all his powers and be able to kill her effortlessly.

He breathed in the smoke from the cauldron, hoping he would become corporeal once more, even if only for moments. He didn't. Disappointed, he dipped a finger into now bubbling black substance and swirled it around. _Come on, work _he thought desperately.

Then he felt it: chills spreading along his arm and then across his whole body. He turned back to Granger, a triumphant smile on his face. She took a wary step back from him. Oh but this time he wasn't planning on taking what he wanted. He wanted to see if he could persuade her to willingly kiss him.

"Ahh Granger, I'm sorry about last time, about biting your lip. You have no idea how overwhelming it is to finally be able to feel after all these years." He purred, trying to keep his eyes wide and contrite. "All those sensations flooding through your veins, driving you crazy… it's confusing."

He watched her face become unsure and knew she was falling for it. He changed his voice to a pleading tone. "Tell me you know I'm sorry, Hermione."

"It's fine, Tom." She whispered out and he knew she was affected by his use of her first name.

"If you just let me try again, I promise I won't hurt you. I know I have no right to ask but I-I just need some human contact while I can have it. We both know you're not going to let me live when the potion is done."

"I can't. I can't do that to Ron." But he could see the uncertainty on her face that bellied her words. After all, who could resist the wish of a dying man? He met her gaze and glanced down at her lips and back up. The indecision still played on her face.

He took a step towards her then halted as if he was unsure, shuffled his feet and looked down at the ground. He had to force himself to keep the smirk off his face and the satisfied gleam from his eyes. _Don't play with your food; _the muggle saying flittered through his mind and threatened to make him laugh but he managed to keep his face straight.

He heard her release a loud puff of air and looked up. _Game, set and match, _he thought as she walked over to him.

"One kiss," she warned him. "Just one."

He nodded his agreement and then lowered his lips to hers as gently as he could- which wasn't particularly gently. Her soft lips parted for him immediately and his tongue thrust inside to meet hers. She was kissing him, yes, but not passionately. He growled lightly but didn't dare pull away, he only had one kiss after all and he had to make it count.

He tangled a hand in her wild hair and tilted her head to a better angle. The next thrust of his tongue went deeper, exploring every inch of her mouth and revelling in her sweet, crisp taste. He pulled back slightly, not enough to leave her lips, but to nibble on the bottom one gently. This time he did not break the skin but sought to wring a moan from her and he was rewarded with her gasp of pleasure. He pulled back to allow them both to regain their breath.

"Perhaps one more?" He asked, leaning his forehead against hers.

She shook her head but this time she crashed her lips to his and thrust her tongue past his lips. He met her eagerly and tightened his hand in her hair. His other settled gently on her hip and tried to pull her closer. She resisted though and pulled away from him entirely.

"I shouldn't have done that," she whispered in horror but he didn't listen as he could feel his body returning to nothingness. He growled in anger and stalked away from her, the almost apple-like taste of her fading from his lips. It was only then he remembered that he had planned to choke her.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: sorry about the delay in posting, but I've been swamped with uni exams and assignments. Thanks to everyone who reviewed.**

Chapter 8

"I don't see why you can't just go back to the castle." Hermione complained as she stood outside the front door of the Burrow with Tom at her side. She was shivering from the cold but she refused to go in until he promised he would behave- even though it was only her who could see him.

"I want to meet the in-laws." Tom teased her, a cruel smirk gracing his features.

She growled low in her throat, causing him to chuckle in response. "Behave. Just promise me you won't aggravate me too much tonight."

"No promises, Granger."

He walked through the door and left her outside. She cursed under her breath before opening the door and following him in.

Warmth and louder chatter enveloped her as she stepped into the Burrow. Calls of 'hello' rang out to her as she moved to take her place at the large wooden table. Tom was nowhere in sight. She almost felt worried and made an excuse to leave and find him but then she remembered that he couldn't corporealise without the potion. No, but he could gather information to use against her later. Her lips tightened in a grimace but she fought the urge to find him.

She was pulled from her thoughts by Ron's hand clasping hers under the table. She smiled tightly at him, trying not to let her anxiety show. Where was Tom? He sauntered into the room then and posed as if leaning against the wall in front of her. Instantly her anxiety eased and she could focus on the people sitting around the table.

"Hermione, dear, how is work going?" Mrs Weasley asked as she passed a plate of roast potatoes across the table to Hermione who added a couple to her plate. Involuntarily, Hermione glanced at Tom, causing a smirk to cover his face. One thing she'd noticed about Tom: he couldn't deny his love of attention.

"Work is going great." Hermione lied with a tight smile. "I shouldn't take too much longer to complete this project- it is progressing faster than I had anticipated."

A scowl flickered across Tom's face and Hermione hid a smirk. She felt Ron's hand squeeze hers tighter and glanced at him in confusion. "You looked miles away. Mum asked you a question."

Turning back to Mrs Weasley with an apologetic look, Hermione forced herself to ignore Tom. "I'm sorry, Mrs Weasley, I was thinking about work."

Sighs and chuckles and eye-rolls broke out over the table; everyone seated knew that Hermione was a workaholic and she herself knew how often she had spoken those exact words around this table. Too many.

"I was just asking, my dear, when you were going to stop working so hard and finally think about the future. There is more to life than work, you know." Mrs Weasley's patronizing tone affected Hermione more than her ignorant words. She stiffened in her seat and pulled her hand from Ron's as silence fell over the room except for Tom's chuckle that only she could hear.

"I know there is more to life than work, Mrs Weasley, but I happen to love my job." Hermione's icy tone astounded even herself. Mrs Weasley's lips pursed in anger.

"You love it now, Hermione. But what will happen twenty years down the line when you realise that you have missed out on the chance for a proper family? When you realise that all your work means you haven't spent enough time with your children?" Mrs Weasley snapped at Hermione.

Hermione pushed her chair back and stood up. Everyone at the table was staring at her and she had no idea what she was going to say or do. She caught Tom's eye and remembered him warning her of pure-blooded families' obsession with breeding at young ages. Tom was the only one in the room who understood her in this; she had thought that Harry would but he himself was engaged to Ginny. One by one, every half-blood and muggle-born she knew had left their muggle beliefs behind to wholly accept the magical ideals. But Hermione refused to be ashamed of her muggle heritage and her mother had always told her that happiness was more important than settling down and having children. Her mother had believed that when the time was right for a family, she would know.

"I am not ready to settle down. My mother didn't have me until her mid-thirties and she was happy with that decision, and she certainly never put her career on hold to raise me. What is the point in receiving an education if not to use it?"

At Mrs Weasley's splutter of outrage- which Hermione took to mean Molly had nothing further to say- Hermione left the room and stalked outside. She could hear Ron following behind her but didn't turn until she stood in the front yard where the cool wind doused her anger.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at your mum like that."

Ron's shoulders shrugged heavily. "She started it but, bloody hell Hermione, you've just made things ten times more complicated for us."

A half laugh escaped Hermione but she noticed the desolate look on Ron's face and knew he wasn't happy. "You want kids this young, don't you? I can see it in your eyes. But I don't, Ron, not now and maybe not even in the future."

Ron's bushy eyebrows raised in surprise. "You don't? I guess we've never really discussed it before. We've never even really discussed our future before."

No they hadn't. It had taken them so long to get together that neither of them had wanted to bring up a subject that would cause an argument. But now, as they stood in the front yard of the Burrow discussing the future of their relationship, Hermione realised that they could never work. Even if Ron decided to support her in this, his family would be constantly opposed to them, constantly trying to force her to change her mind. It wasn't what was best for her and it wasn't what was best for Ron.

Hermione's breath caught in her throat, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "Ron, I think this is a deal-breaker. I don't want to deprive you of anything but we both know how stubborn we both can be."

"So what, we just call it quits and go back to being friends?" Ron's voice echoed around the yard, causing Hermione to wince. "Because, damn it Hermione, if you're not even going to fight for us to stay together why should I?"

"You shouldn't." Hermione forced her voice to remain steady. She couldn't admit that this was tearing her up inside. If she showed her desolation he would fight for her and this would drag on for years until they were both miserable and hated each other.

He stared at her for long moments before turning on his heel and storming back inside. The door slammed behind him and Hermione finally felt the tears fall.

"I told you so, Granger." Tom's cold voice rang out to her. She didn't turn towards him but wiped away her tears angrily. She didn't like to show him any weakness. "They don't understand anyone who breaks the mould. It is the reason they have never grasped the concept of inventing new things as the muggles do. They are archaic and stuck in their ways and they will never change."

"Leave it, Tom. I don't care if you are right, I will never ally with you. Not after how much evil you have done. Someday soon, Tom, I will kill you."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The potion was almost finished. Tom could tell from Hermione's nervousness, the way she would twitch when he neared the cauldron and her constant pacing. Soon, perhaps even tomorrow, he would be corporeal. He didn't know what he wanted to do first: eat, fuck or kill.

Maybe he should start with seducing Granger. After all, she would be more receptive to him now that she and the Weasley had broken up. He had seen the way she looked at him when she couldn't help herself, the undisguised lust in her eyes. Oh and he had liked it. If he had been corporeal he had no doubt his body would have reacted to her heated gaze.

On the other hand, killing Granger would be the smarter move. She had been instructed to kill him, and though he doubted she would be able to follow through with it, it would be smartest to neutralise her immediately. But would he be able to while they had the blood bond? It was faint at the moment but every time he regained his body the force of it overwhelmed him. Proof: last time he had corporealised he had forgotten his desire to kill her and had kissed her instead.

That took him back to seducing Granger when the potion was complete.

He should start now. He should soften her up and lower her defences instead, make sure she was thinking about him naked tonight. He chuckled to himself as he wondered how to proceed with her. She was almost as unpredictable as he was and that made it difficult to know how to proceed. Of course, he could always play the before-I-die card. A grin lit his face. Yes, that was how he would proceed. And he would plant the seed now.

Tom sauntered over to the cauldron where she was pacing restlessly. He didn't say a word as he shuttered his eyelids and raked his gaze over her body, picturing it as he'd seen it in the shower. He heard her pacing stutter and then stop and slowly ran his gaze back up until he met her face. Hermione's face was hesitant, uncertain. _Game, set and match._

"Don't look at me like that, Tom." Her voice was barely above a whisper and her eyes avoided his.

"Like what, Hermione?" His voice was a low purr in return. Excitement flickered on her face before she hid it behind a mask of indifference.

"Like you're picturing me naked." Had he detected a hint of a moan in her voice as she had answered him?

"Ahh, Granger, why did you have to say naked in that sexy voice of yours? You know I won't be able to stop picturing you naked now."

Her cheeks flushed deep red at his words and her pink tongue darted out to wet her lips. Oh, she wasn't helping herself. That tongue, those lips- now he couldn't help but picture them running all over his body. He wasn't even slightly exaggerating the lust that blanketed his face now as he stared intensely at her.

Hermione had to swallow a few times before she could answer him and even then she couldn't finish what she was trying to say. "I shouldn't…"

"You shouldn't want me as much as you do?" Tom chuckled. "You shouldn't be picturing me naked as well?"

Instead of the outraged reaction he had predicted, Hermione stayed quiet as her blush deepened to purple. So his suspicions were confirmed- she really did want him. He could picture it now, the two of them naked and straining for release. Had he just moaned in need?

He had inched closer to her, until the space between them was non-existent. He was staring down into those lust-darkened eyes and imagining drowning himself in her passion, imagining the feel of that soft skin as he ran his hands over every inch of her body again and again.

What was it about this woman? She plagued his mind as no other had managed to do and succeeded in tampering down his urge to kill. Even now, his thoughts were far from violent despite the fact he had been trapped in the Chamber of Secrets for years now.

"You have no idea how much I want you." Tom breathed in her ear. "You think I'm lying but I'm not."

"Of course you're lying; you're Tom Riddle." Hermione muttered in response.

"Why would I lie?" His question was sincere. He rarely lied- he often just withheld the truth when it suited his needs.

"To stop me from killing you."

He was laughing before she had finished speaking, he just couldn't help himself. "Do you honestly think you could kill me before I stopped you?"

"Yes. I've fought much worse odds and survived." Her voice had regained its surety and Tom was momentarily stunned. There was something so sexy about her confidence that Tom hadn't realised was there before. He liked that she thought she could take him; that she thought she could win- even if she couldn't. But he didn't want her thinking about killing him, not tonight- or tomorrow, or until he had finished with her, however long that took.

"Survived yes, but have you truly lived?" Tom hadn't lived- he'd existed trapped in this dismal chamber and hoped that he would die if he couldn't escape.

Once again she was speechless and yet he found that this time he didn't enjoy it. She was too extraordinary a witch to just walk through life without enjoying it. What had affected her so much that she would stop living?

Before he killed her he would discover the reason, he vowed to himself. He would discover all of her secrets and make her enjoy every second of it. But he had distracted her from what he wanted her to think about- him- and he needed to get the conversation back on track.

"I can't stop thinking about our kiss," he purred at her.

"You change subjects faster than anyone I know." Her muttered response amused him; his lips turned up in the hint of a smile.

"Do you ever think about that kiss?" He knew she did but he wanted her to admit it. He found he liked pushing her.

She glared at him with anger in her eyes before biting out her response. "Yes, sometimes I think about it."

He smirked at her. Yes, he'd have this witch soon, very soon. And he was going to enjoy every second of it.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: thanks to everyone who reviewed!**

Chapter 10

Hermione held the feather of a griffin between her trembling fingers and tried to convince herself to let it fall into the cauldron which held a bubbling black, viscous fluid. She could feel Tom's eyes boring a hole in her from across the chamber and realised that he knew what she held: the last ingredient for his potion.

She had made some adjustments on Dumbledore's formula which she considered necessary but she had tried hard to hide them from Tom in case he managed to suss out her plan from the properties of the ingredients. She was pretty confident that they would work and that they would give her the upper hand when it came down to her fight with Tom. It was hard to believe their encounter would be taking place later today.

Hermione wasn't sure how she felt about that. On the one hand she was terrified that Tom could manage to overpower her and to kill her. But she also felt relief that this last piece of him would finally be killed today if she succeeded. A world without Tom Riddle should be a joyous prospect but Hermione was, against her better judgement, going to miss his witty retort, intelligent conversation and damn fine body.

Lost in her musings, Hermione almost missed the feather fall from her hands to land on the tar-like substance. The bubbling increased, growing more violent and issuing great plumes of steam. When the reaction had subsided, the liquid had transformed into tiny shards of black crystals that seemed to draw all the light in the chamber and devour it.

Hermione's eyes shut in surrender. For better or worse, the potion was complete and she knew there was no backing out now. Her eyes flickered open to see that Tom was opposite her, peering intently into the cauldron.

"It's finished." She announced gravely, even though he already knew.

The dark glint of menace that Hermione hadn't seen in Tom's eyes this last week had returned full force. A sinister smile curled his lips and Hermione realised that he hadn't looked this predatorial, this evil, since the first day she had met him. Her fear flickered and grew exponentially but she carefully hid it behind a mask of indifference. She couldn't afford to give anything away today.

"Come on then, Hermione. Complete the ritual." Tom's low voice purred at her, sending tingles through her body which she resolutely ignored.

She drew out her wand, noticing that Tom's gaze sharpened on it, and conjured a large flask. Scooping the flask into the cauldron, she filled it with the dark crystals and turned to Tom.

"Stand still. I need to make a circle of crystals around you." She explained as she walked over to him.

He nodded sharply and she walked in a clockwise circle around him, dropping the crystals as she did. When the circle was completed, the crystals began to emit a dark blue steam that hid Tom from her sight. She had to place her wand in her back pocket to cover her mouth as the steam caused her to cough violently and shut her eyes against the sting the steam brought them.

Suddenly a hand was on her back, alternating between patting firmly and rubbing smooth circles. Hermione gasped as she realised it was a fully corporeal Tom and hurriedly reached into her pocket for her wand. It was gone.

"Give me my wand, Tom." She demanded, whirling to face him as panic fluttered in her chest. She was useless without her wand.

"You'll get it back later Hermione." A sly grin curled Tom's lips as he spoke and his eyes shone unnaturally bright.

The smoke had all but cleared from the chamber now, leaving no trace of the circle of crystals. Hermione stood immobile staring at Tom. She had removed his magic- not that he knew that yet- but without her wand she couldn't use magic against him. If it came down to a contest of strength, Hermione would lose hands down. Tom was tall and muscled whereas Hermione was smaller and lacking in physical strength, except that needed to carry books.

Her heart beat thudded loudly in her chest as Tom's gaze slowly perused her body. She suspected he was searching for a weakness and reflexively jerked her arm that Bellatrix had marked closer into her body. Tom's gaze followed the movement carefully.

"There's no need to be scared Hermione. I'm not going to hurt you tonight."

Despite herself, Hermione felt the smallest amount of relief at his words. There was no reason for him to lie so she suspected he was speaking true. What then did he want from her this night? Was he truly going to attempt to seduce her as he'd hinted he might these last weeks? She had always thought that had been a distraction, a joke, but now she wondered if she was wrong.

The idea of Tom seducing her should be utterly repulsive to her, and was on some levels, but she couldn't stop herself wondering what it would be like to be intimate with someone so dark and intense. She was a terrible person she knew. She and Ron had only been broken up a couple of weeks and already she was picturing herself in bed with another man- a killer nonetheless.

No, she wouldn't. If he truly meant to seduce her, she would resist with every fibre of her being. Even if it meant he killed her tonight, at least she wouldn't have betrayed herself, betrayed those she cared about.

He stalked close to her and she backed away. He repeated the action until he had her pinned against the cold hard wall of the chamber and he was towering over her with an unreadable expression. His hand came up to her face to trace along her cheekbone delicately and she flinched away with a gasp. _There had been goddamned tingles where he had touched her! _

Tom's face reflected the shock she was feeling- had he felt the tingles too?

His fingers resumed their light touch, this time along her arm, sending tingles racing through her whole body. He stepped even closer to her and let out a slight moan. She couldn't stop herself leaning in to the addictive touch as his fingers moved bolder over her arms before swooping back up to her face.

"Hermione, be with me tonight. Tomorrow we can go back to the war but tonight, just tonight, give yourself to me."

She should say no, she should want to say no, she intended to say no, but before she had realised what she was doing, Hermione had nodded her head. "Yes."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Before Hermione had finished gasping out an affirmative, Tom's lips had crashed into hers. With no finesse, no grace, just raw passion, his jaw forced her mouth open and his tongue plunged inside. Hermione moaned in heady bliss. _Nothing _had ever felt this primal, this… necessary.

She tilted her head to the side, allowing their kiss to deepen, and responded eagerly to the kiss. If Tom had expected to dominate this kiss he had been wrong, she would fight him for it. All the times she had kissed before this had been lacking in intensity, had been soft and tender. But this passion was laced with a brutality Hermione hadn't realised she would enjoy, would crave.

Hermione's hands wound desperately into Tom's midnight hair as if to stop him from escaping the heart-pounding kiss. His hands, one of which still held her wand, were braced on the cold chamber wall behind her. She wanted them running all over her body, tangling in her hair, sneaking under her robe but didn't know how to make him do so. She could have asked but something told her that he would have ignored the request.

Instead she would try and make him lose control, as caught up in the passion as she was. So caught up she no longer cared that they were enemies. Her hands slid from his hair, over his broad shoulders and down to his waist, her nails clutching desperately at his hips. Before he could figure out her intentions and take control- as she had no doubt he would try to do- she tightened her grip and jerked his hips forwards. His hard, pants-clad erection slammed into her and she moaned at the decadence. Tom pulled back from the kiss and stared down at her, his eyes deep, dark and seductive.

"Here?" He asked, his voice laden with arousal as he glanced around the chamber. A small smile curled up the corners of those wickedly talented lips. "Ahh Granger, aren't you more than I expected?"

As if she could have pulled away from him for long enough to reach her room above. As if their location mattered when all she could think about was his lips on hers. But she couldn't deny the smile that curled her own lips up as she realised he had expected her to be prim and proper. Maybe once she had been, but not now, not with him.

She tightened her grip on his waist and he took the hint, meshing their mouths back together momentarily. Then, with a hungry gaze, he tore his mouth from hers and began kissing, biting and licking down her neck. Another broken moan escaped her as he bit sharply before kissing away the sting. Had he broken skin? She didn't care.

Something clattered onto the floor beside her and then Tom's hands joined the play, one tangling in her hair while the other gripped her arse. Hard. "Yes," she gasped out.

Tom couldn't help himself. He had meant to keep his distance, his calm, until he could find somewhere safe to hide her wand but then Hermione had dug her nails deep into his hips and dragged his body into hers and his thoughts had scattered. He had regained them for a moment but, again, her nails gripped his hips harshly and he had forgotten all about his plan. He had dropped her wand to the floor, not checking to see where it rolled, and had fisted her hair and her arse. He had pulled her as close to his body as he could _and it still wasn't close enough!_

He grasped her thigh and hitched it around his waist. Taking the hint, she wrapped her other leg around him too and let him hold her up, hardness to softness. He couldn't repress a groan as he rubbed his hard aching cock against her core and pressed her into the chamber wall.

In times past, Tom would have considered now the prime time to rip off her pants, open his and dive inside. In and out, take what he wanted and leave. But with her, knowing that he would have to neutralise her tomorrow, he wanted to savour this. To do _everything _he could think of with this enchanting woman with a sinfully delightful body that he might have (if he was capable of it) eventually come to like- in another life of course.

Instead he leaned back and slowly opened her robe, revealing a low cut black top and dark jeans. He felt a grin curl his lips. Oh yes, he liked looking at her and couldn't wait to reveal more.

"So beautiful," he murmured as he traced a finger down her neck to the top of the shirt. She shivered under his touch and drew in a sharp gasp as his finger dipped under the material between her breasts. "More?"

He watched as Hermione slowly nodded before dropping to her feet and opening Tom's robe. Her soft fingers quickly pushed it off of his shoulders and onto the floor. Without pause, she slid her hands under his jumper and pulled it over his head. Tom's eyes closed in surrender (just for tonight of course) as she began loosening his tie. It too fluttered to the floor but Tom took note of its location- he would need it later.

Slowly her hands undid the buttons of his shirt, revealing more and more of his chest as she did so. While her fingers worked, her tongue laved the skin at his neck, shooting spears of pleasure straight to his cock. Eventually his shirt joined the growing pile on the floor and he watched as Hermione stepped back and looked over his exposed skin. He could almost _feel _her gaze on him, her desire was that potent.

But he wanted to see her skin. Wanted to know what every inch of her looked like, felt like, tasted like. His tongue swept out over his lips, remembering the taste, the heat, of her kiss.

"Take off your clothes." His voice, rough with desire, barked the command.

He watched as she reached a slightly shaking hand down to fist the bottom of her shirt. His muscles tensed in a painfully sharp pleasure as she inched it up, revealing creamy skin and beautiful breasts encased in that deep blue bra. Sexy. As. Hell.

"The bra," he managed to croak out past the sudden lump in his throat. How long had it been since he'd enjoyed a woman? And none of his past conquests could compare with this beautiful female.

Hermione closed her eyes briefly as she unclasped her bra and let it fall to the floor. She heard Tom growl and quickly focussed on his face. The desire in his gaze almost felled her. He was staring at her as if she was everything to him in this moment, as if he'd never seen something so breath-taking. No one had ever looked at her like that before. It made her feel more confident and sexy than she ever had before.

No doubt it was similar to the way she had looked at him before with his flat, muscular chest that she had ran her hands and mouth over. Just thinking about the feel of his muscles under her palm sent a rush of arousal through her.

Without any urging from Tom, Hermione kicked off her shoes, snapped open her jeans and stepped out of them, leaving herself in only small blue knickers. Thank God she hadn't worn her ugly underwear today; she would have been so embarrassed.

"Ahh, fuck that is… you are… fuck…" Tom trailed off, running his hand through his hair.

Summoning a confidence she hadn't known she possessed, Hermione stepped closer to Tom. "I'd prefer your hands on me." Her voice was barely more than a moan. She was so aroused it was almost painful and she needed release.

Immediately his hands rose to cup her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over her hardened, sensitive nipples and causing her to arch into him.

Fumbling hands became desperate as they tore at each other's remaining clothes until they were both blessedly naked. She groaned as she palmed his large, thick cock in her hand.

Tom's hand delved lower, sliding against her before he plunged a finger deep inside her. She trembled in desire as his finger worked her, gasping out as he added a second, third, to the play.

"Come for me, Granger." He whispered in her ear before sharply biting her lobe and tugging it with his teeth.

Hermione couldn't help but obey him. Her orgasm raced through her, frightening in its intensity. She cried out and buried her head in the crook of Tom's neck.

Before the aftershocks of her orgasm has finished, Tom had once more lifted her legs around his waist and braced her against the cold stone wall. She locked eyes with his as he thrust himself deep inside of her. She cried out at the feel of him, long and thick inside of her.

Oh God! Hermione's thoughts scattered as he moved, hard and fast, against her. She matched his thrusts with her own and raked her nails down his back. Tom growled in response and moved even harder against her. The sex was raw, animalistic and by far the best she had ever experienced.

She squeezed his hips with her legs as she came again, harder than before. He continued to move inside her, drawing out her orgasm and intensifying it to an almost frightening degree. She bit his neck, hard in response, causing him to buck wildly against her and call out her name as his own orgasm wracked through him.

Hermione's legs slid to the floor as she pulled away from Tom and stood on shaky legs to gaze up at him. His expression was unreadable as he looked down at her. Hurt, she turned to pick up her clothes but his hand closed around her wrist, stopping her.

"Tonight isn't over yet, Hermione. I'm not finished with you."


End file.
